Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Construction at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/13/2021.

Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Nonessential Experimental Population of Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Upper Yuba River Upstream of Englebright Dam, CA; Extension of Public Comment Period

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/12/2021.

We, NMFS, announce the extension of the public comment period on our December 11, 2020, 30-day proposal of a rule to designate and authorize the release of a nonessential experimental population (NEP) of Central Valley (CV) spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the upper Yuba River and its...

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Interagency Cooperation

by the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/12/2021.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively referred to as the ``Services'' or ``we'') propose to amend the Services' consultation regulations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, pertaining to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The proposed...

Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment of the Bearded Seal

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment (DPS) of the Pacific bearded seal subspecies Erignathus barbatus nauticus under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed designation comprises an area of marine habitat in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort...

Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Arctic Subspecies of the Ringed Seal

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce revisions to our December 9, 2014, proposed designation of critical habitat for the Arctic subspecies of the ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The revised proposed designation comprises an area of marine habitat in the Bering, Chukchi, and...

Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project in Norfolk, Virginia

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/08/2021.

NMFS has received a request from the Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to pile driving and removal activities at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project (HRBT) in Norfolk, Virginia over the course of five years (2021-2026). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal...

International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2021 Commercial Fishing Restrictions for Pacific Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 01/05/2021.

NMFS is proposing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950, as amended (TCA), to implement Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) Resolution C-20-02 (``Measures for the Conservation and Management of Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 2021''). This proposed rule would implement annual limits on commercial catch of...

Rights to Federally Funded Inventions and Licensing of Government Owned Inventions

by the National Institute of Standards and Technology on 01/04/2021.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requests comments on proposed revisions to regulations that would further the Return on Investment (ROI) Initiative for Unleashing American Innovation. The proposed revisions to ``Rights to Inventions Made by Nonprofit Organizations and Small Business Firms under Government Grants,...

Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Regulations; Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; American Lobster Fishery

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/31/2020.

NMFS proposes to amend the regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury to North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in northeast commercial lobster and crab trap/ pot fisheries...

Disclaimer Practice in Patents and Patent Applications

by the Patent and Trademark Office on 12/30/2020.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) proposes to amend the rules of practice to expand when certain types of patent applicants and patentees may, subject to other conditions, obtain or enforce a second patent for an invention that is similar (i.e., patentably indistinct) to a first patent. Ordinarily, in examination before the...

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Construction at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/21/2020.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction activities including marine structure maintenance, pile replacement, and select waterfront improvements at Naval Station Norfolk (NAVSTA Norfolk) over the course of five years (2021-2026). As required by the Marine Mammal...

Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Amendment to the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/15/2020.

NMFS proposes to amend the regulations implementing the Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (hereinafter called the PLTRP or the Plan) to reduce mortalities and serious injuries of short- finned pilot whales incidental to the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery to meet the long-term goal of the Plan as required by the Marine Mammal...

Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Nonessential Experimental Population of Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Upper Yuba River Upstream of Englebright Dam, CA

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/11/2020.

We, NMFS, propose a rule to designate and authorize the release of a nonessential experimental population (NEP) of Central Valley (CV) spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the upper Yuba River and its tributaries upstream of Englebright Dam, California and establish take exceptions for...

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; Proposed 2021 and 2022 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/03/2020.

NMFS proposes 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2021 and 2022 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and...

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Proposed 2021 and 2022 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 12/03/2020.

NMFS proposes 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2021 and 2022 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery...

Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Threatened Caribbean Corals

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/27/2020.

We, NMFS, propose to designate critical habitat for the threatened Caribbean corals: Orbicella annularis, O. faveolata, O. franksi, Dendrogyra cylindrus, and Mycetophyllia ferox pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Twenty-eight mostly overlapping specific occupied areas containing physical features essential to the...

Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Threatened Indo-Pacific Corals

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/27/2020.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for the seven threatened corals in U.S. waters in the Indo-Pacific (Acropora globiceps, Acropora jacquelineae, Acropora retusa, Acropora speciosa, Euphyllia paradivisa, Isopora crateriformis, and Seriatopora aculeata) pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered...

Reopening of Public Comment Period for the Regulatory Impact Review on the Proposed Expansion of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/23/2020.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is providing the public with an opportunity to comment on NOAA's Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), a supporting document to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the expansion of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). While...

Request for Comments on Discretion To Institute Trials Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board

by the Patent and Trademark Office on 11/18/2020.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) published a request for comments in the Federal Register on October 20, 2020, seeking public comment on considerations for instituting trials before the Office under the Leahy Smith America Invents Act (AIA). Through this document, the USPTO is extending the period for public...

Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Harvest Specifications for the Central Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 11/18/2020.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to revise the annual reference points, including the overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC) and annual catch limit (ACL), for the central subpopulation of northern anchovy in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the west coast under the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan. NMFS...